Automatic train-pipe coupling.



W. D. LEFTWIOH.

AUTOMATIC TRAIN PIPE GOUPLING.

APPLICATION FILED FEB.7,191Z. 1,081,1 25, Patented Dec.9,1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

W. D. LEFTWIGH.

AUTOMATIC TRAIN PIPE GOUPLING.

APPLICATION FILED FEB.7,1912.

MWI Mw 2 SHEETS-811121512,

Patented Deo. 9, 1913.

Zcl//INVENTOR @I mw!" w N www. ma Qm.

VVITNESSES ATTORN EY mi i r nini ntnnrnrt n. nnrrtrron', or Wrnitrnennno, riennernvnnrn.

Speoioziton et' Letters .Patent .ttlllltltczttion filed ',Februery '7, 912. eriel No. @76,09%

nifl tettone may concern r Be it known that l, llYrnLI/iin inarrivroi-t, :i oitizen olE the 7United Stetten, residinn;t :it lllilliinshnrg, in the county ot tillegheny sind State ot ltennsylvnnin, herve invented o, new and nselnl Antoine/tio 'lroini e tCoupling, ot' which the following is a oiirotion., rl. he invention relates to improvements in ontonnitie trein pipe couplings.

".lhe object olf the present invention ie to iniprore the eonetrnetion ot eutonnitie trein pine oonplings, ond to provide n, einiple, etiieient sind comparatively inexpensive oon.- oling, adopted to :intonnttiezilly loolthe .repetitive nieinhere or coupling1r heads ot the o njplingj together :ind :tor opening the votres ot the hrnlie, Signal :ind heating rupee troni, when the eers :ire Coupled, und

rintoinzitionlly unlockingA the oonhezids or members ind oit elo-Sing;` the driven ot' the trein pipes when the eers tre 'unnlled dport.

it. further ohieot oli the invention is; to provide n trein pine eonpling ot this eheroeter, eepehle et vert-lool, littoral and longitudinal rnoreroent to :idioot itselt' to the various nioveniente ot the coro oli si. train in motion Without filieeting; the inechzinisin tor lock ing' the coupling llendo or rneinbers together.

Vllith these and other objects in View, the

"invention Consists in the eonStrne-tion sind novel combination of parte hereinafter lully desoriloed, illnet-roted in the accompanying drawings, and pointed ont in the claims hereto appended; it being underetood'that vetrions changes in the form, proportion, Size and minor details; of construction, Within the scope ot the claims, nioy loe resorted to Without departing trom the spirit or sacrificing' tiny oit the advantages ot the invention.

ln the drawingez-lignre .l is a, side elevation, partly in Section, of an automatic train pipe coupling, constructed in :record nnee with this invention.l Fig. 2 is :i horif iiontol sectional view on the line 2--2 of Fig. l. 3 is n similar View, token subetontizilly on the line ot Fig. l. ltig. t ie o transverse sectional view on the line l--et ot liig. Q. Fig. 5 is e transverse sectionril view, token substantially on the line 5-5 ot Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is :t detail sectional view on the line G-G ot Fig. l. lrtig. Z ie sin enlarged detail sectional view, illustrattho eonstrnotion ot the gasket czisinge.

Like numerals et reference designate oor responding parte in all the ligotee oft the drawings.

lin the accompanying; drawings in which is illustrated the preferred embodiment ot the invention, the zintoinzitio trein pipe oonpling eolnprioes in its construction two sinn lor meeting Coupling llendo or inelnloerfv l, eeeh carried hy supporting brochet 2 lo otite-il heneeth Lind extending longitudinally oit the shztnlr or drew hair El ot o. oor Coupling' 'ilhe supporting; bracket 2 is provided nt its rear portion with en upwerdl y entend ing enlargement or enr which is pivoted by n, trnnsveree holt G between o ptir ot depending .flanges or ears 'Y ot o honger d.

The eers 7 are connected :it the top hy hori-` zonttil portions 9 troni one side ot which projecto :i vertical portion l0, haring; :i horizontal flange ll arranged :ibo-voV ond in spa-eed relation with the horizontal top portion 9, and Secured to the reo-r end of the shrink or drew hor et the bottoni ot the seine hy :i vertieol bolt l2, which .tornio rt pivot for the honger to permit horizontal rotary nioveinent thereof. rlfhe holt tl tornio ai horizontal pivot tor the supporting; boeket, which is adapted to swing uit Windly or downwardly on the holt o, sind longitudinolly on the vertical bolt l2 to pernit the trein pipe coupling heed or nient her l to adjust itself to the movement ot the oars, soy that the motion oit the hitter will not atleet the joints or connections formed hy the trein pipe Coupling.

The supportingl bracket 2 is provided at. the front und boek with depending` guides 13 and ld, having' :dined openings `for the reoeption of :i slidnhle bnr L1 secured et its outer end in :t socket 1li oit' the coupling header nieinloor l hy it transverse holt l?, or other suitable fastening; menno, n-'herehy Athe coupling' heed or ineinher l is mount-ed on and carried hy the Slidnhle har. l'he front portion ot' the slidzilole bnr is oblong; in cross section :1nd the ogienino; of the guide eont'orins to the configuration ot the seine. The slidoble hor is provided with n round reni' portion 1S, extendingr through the roer guide lil, which ig provided With e corre spending opening'. yllie round rear portion 18. which is threaded :it its rear end to receive n, DUC'IQ, supports a coiled spring; 20, located in advance oit the rear `Lfroide lll- :1nd interposed between the saine .find the shoulder formed by the polygonal front pon non of the Siidabie bar and yieidabiyufgmg" the slidable bar` and the coupling head or A member outwardly. The nut v19 forms a of the drawings.

stop and is adapted to engage the inner or rear ace of the guide 14 to limit thev outward movement of the slidable bar; Each coupling head or member is provided at one side with an integral tapered socket or loop 21 and having at the opposite 10 side a forwardly projecting taperedpoint "or guiding arm 22, adapted to lit in the loop guiding arm 22, which is tapered vertically and horizontally, is preferably flanged, as

shown, but it may be of solid formation, and

it presents an. irmer fiat face23 to the fiat face 24 of the co-acting coupling head or member. The outer end of the `arm 22 is beveled at the inner side at 25, the point being laterallqj1 off-setffrom the plane of the side face 24. The upper, lower and outer faces of the projecting guiding arm fit against the socket or loop at the top, bottom vand outer portions of the same, and the parts are held against vertical and lateral movement on each other when in their interlockedy relation, the relative inward lateral movement being resisted by locking levers 26. The locking lever 26, which ishorizontally disposed, is provided with an approximately` segmental head 27, mounted on a vertical pivot 28 in a horizontal transversely disposed slot for opening 29 of the coupling head or member and located at the inner end of the projecting arm thereof, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 2 of the drawings. The projecting arm is pro-vided at its inner flat face with a horizontally disposed segmental re-y cess 30'having an inner curved wall, which is located opposite the opening 29 when the two'coupling heads or members are in their interlocked relation. When the parts are in proper position with the outwardly eX- tending armin contact with the outer por- Q the recess 30 is arranged concentric with the pivot 28, and theperipheral edge of the locking lever is adapted to engage the curved wall 30,the oscillation of the locking lever carrying the curved edge of the head thereof into and out of the recess 30. When the segmental head of the locking lever is engaged with the recess 30 of the projecting arm, the latterwill be forced tightly against the outer side vol? the loop and will be securely locked therein, so that any longitudinal movement of the car couplings and the consequent longitudinal play or vibration of the slidable bars of the train pipe couplingsl will not affectthe tight connection of the interlocked members or couplings 1. The segmental head is Vcut-awaI at the rear or inner side soas to enable the head thro-ugh its rotary movement to be returned Within the horizontal slot 29 from its projecting pos?- tion, so as to release the projecting arm an i permit a separation of the coupling heats or members 1. The locking lever has ai. outer portion or -arm projecting llaterally from the coupling head or member 1, and extending orwardly at a slight angle to the coupling head or member 1 when the head of the lever is in engagement with the projecting arm. When the outer portion or arm of the lever is swung rearwardly from the position shown in full lines in Fig. 2 of the drawings to the position illustrated in dot-ted lines of the said figure, the segmental head is withdrawn from its engaging position.

The outer portion of the locking lever 'of each of the coupling heads or members is connected by alink or bar 31 with the front guide 13 of the supporting bracket 2, so that the longitudinal movement of the slidable barl15 through the guides 13 and 14 will automatical-l oscillate the locking lever. When the slidab e bar 15 moves outwardly through the guides, the lever is carried outwardly and through its relatively fixed connection with the link or bar 31 is caused to oscillate on its pivot 28, the outward sliding movement of the bar 15 being the equivalent of a rearward pull on the outer portion of the locking lever and o erating to swing the locking lever from the position shown. in full lines in Fig. 2 to that shown in dotted lines. When two cars come together for coupling, the locking `lever is swung in the opposite direction -and is carried from the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2 to that illustrated in full lines. vThe link 31 is pivoted 'to theouter end of the locking lever 26 by a pin 32, and the inner or rear end of the link is laterally curved and bifurcated to straddle a horizontal flange 33, formed integral with theA guide 13 and having a longitudinal slot 34 in which slides the pivot pin 35. The slidable movement of the pivot 35 in the slot prevents any lvariation in the size of the car couplings from interfering with the operation of the locking levers, and the segmental shape of the heads thereof andthe recess 30 also compensate for variations in the .size of the car couplings, as it is not necessary that the segmental rojecting portions of the locking levers s ould entirely fill the segmental recesses 30 in the inner faces of the projecting guiding arms, as it is only necessary that the heads of the locking levers'project'into the recesses 30 in order to securely lock the coupling heads or members together.

`The front pivot pin`32 projects at the top l above the outer end of the locking lever, which is biturcated to receive the link 3l, and the latter is provided at an ,intermediate point with a vertical projection 36, entending' upwardly, as clearly shown in Fig. l.

are adapted to alternately actuate an. arm

37 olv a vertical valve stem. lor body 38, whereby themeans lor actuating the locking levers Will also-operate valves 39,' l0 and 41 lor controlling the passage through the train pipes 42, 43 and 4d. The coupling head or member is provided at its upper portion 'with passages l5 and 46, and at the lower portion with a bottom passage 4:7. In practice the upper passages 45 and 46 will be arranged to form continuous passages for the signal and for the bra-ke, and the lower passage for the steam, and any preferred arrangement may, ol course, be employed.

rlhe Valvesv Irl-9, 40 and dl :may con-sist 0l ports or openings formed in the valve body or stem, as illustrated in Fig. 5 of the drawings, or they may be of any other preferred construction, andwhen the body or stem is rotated, the. valves are simultaneously op era-ted. The inner or rear portion of the couplinghead or member l is provided with upper and lower laterally projecting portions 428 and di) containing the rear portions ot thelongitudinal passages and provided with projecting nip les 50, 5l and 52 for the reception ol fieri le tubes 53, 5d and 55,

which connect the passages vvith the train pipes 42, i3 and Llll and permit the relative movements ol the train pipe coupling and the car body. "lhe denible connections are gcentrally connected with and project laterproyided with Aordinary hose couplings 5d to render the automatic train pipe coupling fsupporting brackets at the tops thereof, but the chains may be connected with the sup'- interchangeable, so that a car equipped f with the same, when neoessarytinay be coud dll pledY to a car provided with he ordinary hose coupling. The nipples are shown extending from the same side ol the train pipe coupling head or member, and the flexible connections entend to a braclretji' hired to and depending i'romfone side oia the .car and supporting the adjacent ends ol the train pipes 4t2, d3 and fill, but any other preferred arrangement ol pipe connections may, oit' course, be employed.

The coupling heads or members of the train pipe coupling are equipped at their outer or lront'taces with upper and 'lower gasket casings 59, each slidably mounted i'n grooves or Ways 60 and provided at one side with a projecting nipple ol and having an opening lil at the opposite side to receive a nipple ol a co-acting. coupling head or member. The slidable casing is detach ably secured in place by means of a bolt 62, or other suitable fastening device, and it Y covers a removable gasket 63,consiating of a plate or piece interposed between the gashet casing and the front or outer face of the coupling head or nrlerriber.y The gasket is provided with openings 64 and 65, which register with the adjacent passages of the coupling head. or member and with a bore or opening of the nipple Gland. the opening 61a of the gasket casing, and. the gasket is provided at the opening 65 with an out wardly projecting annular flange or portion 66, which extends through the opening 61.,

so as to surround and yieldably engage a coasting-nipple when the same passes through the opening 61 to form an air or steam tight connection. The nipple is tapered exteriorly so as to Wedge itself in the opening 61 and. compress the elastic gasket.

The upper passages are connected lby the nipples and the openings of the upper gaskot casings, and the lower passage 47 is provided at its outer portion with two branches 67. The branches'? of one coupling head or member are connected With those of the co-acting coupling head or member by the lower gasket casing 59 by means of the tapered nipples and the openings having the gaskets. Preferably air and steam pipe conncctions are provided. and the locking meehanism, which retains the coupling heads or members in their interlocked relation, will prevent such connections from being broken or interrupted While the cars are coupled..

When the coupling heads or members are separated, theyore supported by chains 68,

arranged in pairs and secured at their up ally from the 'front or outer ends of the f porting brackets in any other suitable man- 2 ner. with coiled chains and extending the entire length rllie supportingl chains are equipped springs 71, arranged on. the

thereof. When the coupling heads or melugbers are uncoupled, they are supported and 4maintained in proper position -:lor auto matic coupling by the spring chains. Y

When the coupling heads or members ol the train pipe coupling are uncoupled, they are held lorward or outward in, advance of the car couplings through the pressure oi' the coiled springs 20, preferably about ten inches more or less as the distance may be varied so as to obtain the. desired sprl g' pressure on the coupling heads or members when the latter are in engagement or in interloclied relation. During the operation when the car couplings are about twenty inches apart, so that the slidin bars are forced inwardly .or rearwar ly and the coiled springs compressed by the i'urther movement of the cars toward each other. The sliding movement of the bars l5 in the supporting brackets moves the locking levers to their engaging position and opens the valves.- When the cars separate in un-l coupling, the coupling heads or. members of the train pipe coupling remain in contact until the car couplings are, say, twenty inches apart, and during this outward movement the bars l5 slide in the guides of the supporting brackets and move the locking levers out of engagement and close the valves so that the coupling heads or members 'are free to separate when the car couplings are moved that distance apart.

rl`h'e train pipe coupling illustrated in the accompanying drawings is designed for a passenger equipment, but the device may be employed on freight cars, and when so used is not necessaryto provide the signal and heating lines, as will be readily understood.

No claim is made in the present application to the gasket casing and gasket. u

.What is claimed is l. A train pipe coupling including a longitudinally disposed bracket having spaced depending iront and'rear guides, means arranged at the inner or rear end of the bracket for pivotally supporting the same,

flexible supporting means connected withY the outer or front portion of the bracket, a bar slidable in the guides, a spring mounted on the bar and engaging the same and the rear guide, a coupling head arranged at the outer end of the said bar and carried' by the same and provided at one side with a socket; said coupling head being also provided at the front with a forwardly projecting tapered arm to it the socket of a coacting coupling head or member, and locking means for retaining the arm in the socket, said means comprising a locking lever pivotally mounted on the coupling head and projecting into the socket, and

connections between the lever and "the sup- -porting bracket for oscillating the lever when the coupling head moves inwardly or outwardly with respect to the bracket.v

2. A train pipe coupling including a coupling head or member havingv a iiat face at one side and provided with a socket,said coupling head or member being also provided at the front with a forwardly projecting armA tapered to fit the socket of a co-acting coupling head or member and having a flat inner side face to fit the flat face of such coupling head or member, and'locking means for retaining the arm in the lever pivotally mountedl on the coupling head or member and arranged 'to project from the iat side face thereof, and connections between the lever and the supporting bracket for oscillating the lever whenthe coupling head or member moves inwardly or outwardly with respect to the bracket.

3. A train pipe coupling including a su porting bracket, a couphnghead slidab y mounted in the supporting bracket and provided at one side with a'loop forming la socket, said coupling head having a transverse opening extending-l 4through it and communicating with the socket, a -forwardly extending arm adapted to lit in the socket oi a coacting coupling head, a locking lever ofthe vcoupling head and arranged to pro- -ject into the socket for locking the arm of the coacting coupling head in the said socket,

supporting bracket. t

A train pipe coupling including a supporting bracket provided with a ange having a slot, a coupling head ler member slidably mounted in the supporting bracket and provided at one side with a socket and having' a forwardly projecting guiding arm, a locking lever pivotally mounted in the coupling head or member and arranged to project therefrom, a link pivotally connected slidable in the slot of said liange.

A train pipe coupling inc uding a coupling head or member having a transverse opening and provided at one side thereof with a socket and having a forwardlyi projecting arm adapted to it .in the soc a coacting coupling head and having a'recess, to register with the opening thereof, a locking lever having a substantially segopening of the coupling head or'fmember and projecting into the socket for engaging the recess of the arm of a coacting coupling head, and means for oscillating the locking projecting position.

' 6. A train pipe coupling including a slidably mounted coupling head having a passage, a locking lever mounted on the coupling head and arranged to engage a cosaid coupling head, a valve for the said passage, said valve being provided with a pro- Vjecting arm, and a link connected at one end to the lever and at the other end to a relatively xed part and having projecting means arranged at spaced points along the link to act-nate the valve o erating arm, which extends across the lin between the said projecting means.

porting bracket, a coupling head or memsocket, said means comprising a locking lever for carrying the same to 4and from its acting head for securing-the same to the 7. A train pipe coupling including a sup' pivotally mounted in the transverse opening and a link connecting the-lever with the with the locking lever and having a pin et of -mental head and pivotally mounted in the' Y las ber slidably mounted in the supporting g provided above' and below theplane of bracket and having a passage, said coupling the socket and the arm with a plurality of head or member being also provided with longitudinal passages, a plurality of valves 20 a socket and having a projecting guiding controlling the passages and havin a comarm, a locking lever mounted on the cou- `mon stem, a locking lever mounte on the pling head or member, a valve for the pascou ling head or member and arranged to sage, said valve `being provided with a propro]ect at the side having the socket, and jecting operating arm, and a link connected mechanism for operating the locking lever 25 with the lever and with the bracket and havand the valve stem.V

io ingspaced projecting means arranged to ac- In testimony, that I claim the fore `oing tuate the operating arm of the valve. as my own, I have hereto affixed my signa- 8. A train pipe Vcoupling including a c011- ture in the presence of figo wltnesses.

pling head or member provided at one side with a projectin socket and having a for- WM' D' k LEFTWICH' 15 wardly extending guiding arm adapted to Witnesses;

t the secket of a co-acting coupling head or J DONALD FERGUSON, member, said coupling head or member be- SMITH HAGAR, 

